The third-round pick leads the team with 967 receiving yards and ranks third with 66 catches, numbers that seemed like an unlikely outcome when Allen started the year on the lower rungs of the depth chart. Allen didn’t even play in the first game of the season, something he said made him think about making an abrupt career change.

“After I didn’t play after that first game, I was about another snap away of not playing from quitting,” Allen said, via U-T San Diego. “[I wasn’t] living up to my expectations of starting. I’ve never been a role player-type guy. Not easy at all. … I’ve never had to do it before. I never had to adjust.”

A phone call to his mother helped convince him not to go back to school to pursue a career in the music business, which should put her in line for a pretty good Mother’s Day gift next May from both Allen and the Chargers. Allen is 45 yards away from setting a Chargers rookie record and it’s unlikely he’ll be on the sideline again because of a coach’s decision any time soon.

Glad he stepped up and became a football player with a lot of potential. He’s only a rookie, so he can only get better thru time and playing. Let’s hope he keeps it up and has a long career ahead of him.

He’s played very well this year, but these comments reveal a very bad character trait that will re-emerge the second some adversity hits.

No great player thinks about quitting. And even if he does, he’d never admit it publicly.

That Allen has no compunction about admitting something so embarrassing is troubling because it shows that he doesn’t consider it embarrassing. He’s OK with the idea of quitting, so it’s only a matter of time before he quits again.

drsummeroff says:Dec 26, 2013 1:38 PM

And once again, the usual potAto chip crowd chimes in. Results people. Who cares about his musings? Almost a thousand yards receiving. Thats all the people who make the decisions care about. Piss on heart when you got production.

thegenoatkinsdiet says:Dec 26, 2013 1:45 PM

Good decision. Leave that to the Raiders, who quit on themselves every year.

Football is in his blood so it wasn’t surprising he wanted to play. In college, he was a safety and WR where he was a top 10 recruit that almost went to Alabama but de-committed because he wanted to play WR instead of Safety where Alabama wanted him to play. So he went to CAL, started from Day 1 and was a punt returner as well. Dudes a baller and is a competitor and can make things happen in the open field. I think, he should of kept it to himself because it’s not something you want to open to the whole world.

coloneldukelacross says:Dec 26, 2013 2:44 PM

Crying shame…The world needs more rapping athletes. I, for one, am eager to hear some Keenan Allen style flow. My children go to public school and I am sure they would benefit from his enlightening Berkeley education.